Kay writes of her concern that many of the comments on this Board are polarizing and create stereotypes about other HCPs.
Kay writes:

"These attitudes contribute to the lack of teamwork and defensiveness that corrodes our 
healthcare system, and reinforces the negative impressions that many in the healthcare 
community have of LCs."

It is not my opinion that the healthcare system is corroded by a lack of teamwork. If anything, 
I think the implication that we all must act in the best interests of the system is the most 
dangerous position we could take. This hoax we call teamwork is really about control--it is about
making sure that no one rocks the boat. People inherently pull together as a team, even when they 
are strangers, when they have a common goal. We do not have a common goal with most other HCPs, as 
the goal for many has become preserving the system--a goal I do not share. I have no interest in 
preserving this system as I feel it has become a mechanism of self-preservation at the cost of human health and well-being. Nowhere 
is this more true that in birth. When a disease-care system traps healthy, normal life processes within its grips, demanding subservience, 
much more is at risk than what people think of us. 

I think the reason that we and others who care for well people (like midwives and holistic practitioners) are so denigrated by the system
is that we approach our work from a completely opposite position (or opposite pole, if you will). We are content to leave ownership of
choices in the hands of those whose lives are being lived through those choices---the families. The disease-care system has a will to control, 
to manipulate and to own the decisions of others. How many of us threaten, cajole, intimidate and even take legal action against women
to force them to breastfeed or have uninterrupted births? Last week, in the state of CT, the DPH (Dept of Public Health) found that (non-CNM)
midwives (in other words, those attending homebirths, educated much like most of us who are not nurses) are practicing medicine w/o a 
license!!! Ummm... aren't doctors practicing midwifery w/o a license, b/c I am pretty sure that this "fad" (so-named by ACOG) came waaaay 
first!!

Last week, there was an article posted on AOL entitled something like "When it's Okay to Question the Pediatrician". My thought--when is it 
not okay?? The very clear implication was that it is okay to ask questions about parenting choices, like toilet-training and sleeping, but never
about anything else. This is really what many HCPs believe--that they are the final decision-maker for other human beings. I don't know how
we ever got here, but I am not willing to contribute to the validation of this viewpoint. I want to know why we are not holding HCPs 
accountable for failing families and blatantly pushing drugged births and AF? There is not science to support their behavior, yet they do it 
everyday and we behave as if we have to win them over?? I just do not get it--the only reason these folks have so much power is b/c we
say they do. How about we say they don't?

I am sorry, but we are never going to be advocates for anything close to health if we make nice. Believe me, I am very happy when 
I have a great relationship with another HCP. I have a wonderful relationship with our family doc, with the ped who clips TTs in CT,
had a fantastic one with the GI doc who saw my son for years--and many others (aside from the personal MD friends, who are mostly
just as fed up as I am). And, I have had amazingly wonderful relationships with our chiropractors, acupuncturists, PTs, massage therapists,
naturopaths, rolfer, therapists and homeopath. The reason that these relationships have been wonderful--mutual respect, NOT respect in 
one direction.

In our field, we are expected to pay respect and in exchange earn a kind of tenuous tolerance. What is not respected by many HCPs is far 
more intrinsic than us as providers--what is not respected is the entire process of pregnancy, birth and feeding/attachment (which are only 
separate ideas when babies do not have a normal birth/feeding process). What is not respected is the human infant, mothering, the process of 
incarnating, the very nature of the human infant. Are we supposed to sacrifice that so we can be tolerated?

Kay suggests we consider:


"You attract more flies with honey than you do with vinegar"
"Are you part of the problem or the solution?"
"You cannot control the behavior of others, only your own behavior"
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
"A critical tongue is never pretty"
"Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer"
"Lead by example"

As Susan Burger said, one could find just as notable quotes for any position. Even so, all of these have many possible interpretations, too. 

I have no interest in attracting flies--always thought that was a weird one. 
IMO, the medical model that violates the human infant's right to be born undrugged and be fed at breast is THE biggest part of the problem. 
I agree that we can only control our own behaviour--I take full responsibility for? the fact that I will always put the needs of the baby above the wants of the system, just like I did for my own babies. Only the parents have the right to tell me otherwise. 
It is not disrespectful to speak the truth or to act in its best interests. Most areas of disease-care are open to debate--normal birth and feeding are not. 
So, I would like to see every single IBCLC lead by example and refuse to ever act against the the rights of babies by caving in to anyone who pushes AF, undermines BF or withholds information from mothers about the risks of medicalized birth and AF. I would like to see us lead by example and act like real advocates for babies rather than for the welfare of the system. I would like us to lead by example and become the best educated independent practitioners we can possibly be in our field and expect others to do the same in theirs. 

Kay, I understand that you believe that there is great risk in what I am saying, but so far, we have played their game and the victims are mothers, babies, our profession and any other profession that is holistic-minded. Medicalizing mothering is a failed experiment--I would like to see it end now. If we continue to believe that the only way to get there is to behave like servants of the medical model, we will be completely bound and gagged--useless window-dressing at best. Considering that our own IBLCE tried to accomplish this last year, I do not think i am exaggerating. If it is polarizing and stereotyping to say that most HCPs DO NOT act to support breastfeeding and most LCs do, well, then there you go--b/c it is true.



Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA
Intuitive Parenting Network, LLC



 


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